Three men have been locked up for a £2 million car key burglary spree across Birmingham. The gang hit more than 100 targets, using sneaky tactics to snatch luxury motors straight from owners’ homes.
Lock Snapping and Fake Plates
Callum James, Jack Bardini, and Deche Luton-Howe were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday (12 Feb). Their crime spree ran from August 2024 to April 2025. James and Bardini broke into homes by snapping locks to grab car keys, then stole high-end vehicles.
After nabbing the cars, the trio slapped on fake number plates to dodge the police. They even filmed reckless joyrides, flaunting their stolen rides on camera.
How Cops Cracked the Case
A breakthrough came when police spotted James wearing distinctive jackets during the burglaries. CCTV caught him in one just an hour before he was arrested, helping officers link him to the crime spree.
Sentenced to Long Stretches Behind Bars
- Callum James, 24, Quinton Road West: 9 years for conspiracy to commit burglary, theft, and concealing criminal property
- Jack Bardini, 18, Kelfield Avenue: 6 years 9 months for similar offences
- Deche Luton-Howe, 25, Clunbury Road: 2 years 3 months for making and supplying fake number plates
All were arrested between April and June last year. James pleaded guilty to 75 offences, Bardini to 31, while Luton-Howe admitted to producing fraudulent plates used to mask the stolen motors.
